Home births and NPT Birth Centre update: July 2024
Maternity services update, Home Births and NPT Birth Centre: July 2024
Reopening of Neath Port Talbot Birth Centre and Home Birth Service
Below is an excerpt from the interim CEO's report for the 25th July Swansea Bay University Board meeting:
"Our Management Board has approved the reopening of the Neath Port Talbot Hospital Birth Centre and the Home Birth service subject to final approval by the Board. This followed a comprehensive review process involving a number of formal ‘gateways’ and significant staff input and engagement.
"We had a constructive meeting with Trade Union colleagues this week where we outlined our approach to dealing with the issues they have raised. Our approach focuses on maintaining the status quo in terms of staffing at Singleton whilst separately progressing the reopening of the Birth Centre at Neath Port Talbot Hospital. A formal proposal for the reopening of these services will be brought to Board for approval as soon as a final review of actions is completed."
Go here to read the CEO's full report:
Current service postion
While there are now plans in place to reinstate maternity services - as outlined above - for now the temporary suspension of our home birth service, as well as the temporary closure of the Neath Port Talbot Birth Centre continues. This is to ensure we can maintain safe care. This decision has been made in line with the professional guidance from the Royal College of Midwives and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
We appreciate this may cause disappointment, but please be assured the decision to suspend this service has not been taken lightly.
We would ask you make contact with us as soon as you have any signs of labour, which will help us plan your care.
Follow this link for contact details for each community midwife team.
You may wish to consider our Bay Birthing Unit in Singleton hospital. This is midwifery-led, with individual rooms and a real home-from-home environment.
Essential support partners are welcome to attend all settings when you have an initial assessment in labour.
Alongside Midwifery Unit (The Bay Birth Unit), is open 24 Hours 7 days a week. The Bay Birth Unit follows the same model of midwifery led care as home and freestanding midwifery unit, and is an option for many women. More information about this choice of birth setting is available by following this link to the Bay Birth Unit webpage.
We will be reviewing this situation every two weeks and will update you as soon as we have any changes. We would urge those families who have planned a home birth to make contact with their community midwife to discuss the options available.
The Welsh Government continue to provide guidance around COVID-19 and hospital visiting in Maternity and Neonatal Services. Follow this link for more information about hospital visiting guidance in maternity and neonatal services from Welsh Government.
We understand our service restrictions have undoubtedly had a big impact on your maternity journey and we thank you for your understanding and patience.
If you want to discuss anything around the announcement or your birth options, please contact your community team, the numbers for the teams should be on your maternity record or you can follow this link for contact details for each community midwife team.
Information about the different birth settings is available here.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.